


King of Pain

by ZettoSan



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 19:02:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17966246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZettoSan/pseuds/ZettoSan
Summary: Gundham gets a part time job as a barista, while Sonia works to recover those lost to despair. They bring their work home with them, despite their best efforts.





	King of Pain

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a Gundham as Brewmaster at a Coffee Shop because while it's a fanfic cliche, I started working at a coffee house some time ago. Some of the orders made at one point in this fic are very real ones I had to make. This started exclusively as a Gundham thing, but it grew from there. 
> 
> Regardless, this is a fic about how we handle trauma. Nothing severe is talked about, but gestured at. Guess I have a tendency to write character breakdowns, huh?
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy. I hope this fic makes you feel as warm as a fresh cup of coffee.

“Sonia! Witness as I brew this potion of life!”

Gundham Tanaka, self proclaimed Prince of the Underworld, had vigilantly tapped into the arcane arts of coffee making. Dark roasted beans with hints of toffee and chocolate, grounded and pounded effortlessly like a skilled alchemist. He brewed the espresso, chuckling to himself like a wizard gone mad. After furious whisking of rose and caramel into the coffee, he boiled the soy milk, pretending he was boiling the flesh of otherworldly demons.

Sonia loved this drink. And Gundham was happy to make it every morning.

Sonia sipped, and the beaming smile was all he needed to know. “May this concoction give you the power you need to crush those who would DARE get in your way, my queen!”

“Oh of course, dear.” She pecked him on the cheek, as the boy turned beet red. “Thank you. The wicked cannot stand up to me when you give me these potions.” She couldn't help but indulge in Gundhams grandiose fantasies. Even better was when she could instantly disarm him with simple kisses. She slipped on her flats and took the keys from the plate. “Have a good day of brewing, Gundham.”

“O-of course. I.. I l-love you.” He wasn't embarrassed, he was always just astounded at how powerful this woman was. Another peck on the cheek, and he was beside himself.

“I love you too, my little prince of darkness.” She couldn't have said those words with a brighter smile.

And he was bathing in that light. A light that snapped off when the door closed, and he looked as his watch. He muttered ancient curses under his breath, and rushed to get ready. He always got a little too caught up making breakfast for Sonia, and always was on the verge of being late. Doing his black and silver hair into a ponytail and refilling the Deva's food and water, he grabbed his bike key and dashed off to work.

* * *

 

Once clocked in, Gundham was a different person all together. He knew that, in this world after being torn apart by Despair, the last thing people needed was someone being weird about coffee. Steam in his face and burns on his fingers, he settled into the routine.

Latte.

Vanilla Latte. No wait, make that Caramel.

Do you have Almond milk?

Latte.

I don't know what the drink is like but I remember it being black.

Cappuccino

Caramel Macchiato.

Mashed Potatoes in a cup, please.

Black tea, double bagged and shot of cream.

Black coffee.

Dark Roast with Room.

Medium Medium Roast.

Small Medium Roast with a Large Shot of Cream.

Wait, since when is a macchiato this small?

A espresso cup shatters. Shit, that was one of the good ones.

Latte with Maple Syrup.

Black coffee, redeye with a spritz of lime.

Do you sell breakfast burritos here? Anyway I need a block of cheese.

SoySkim Mocha with whip, and make 4 of them.

Do you sell coffee here?  

Where is my Con Panna!?

Since when is Matcha sweetened?

Gundham.

Flat White Almond Latte.

Americano with Ice instead of water with a drizzle of lemon.

_Gundham!_

Twisted Ruben with no Thousand Island, No Slaw, no cheese.

3 Half Cafs, 2 Blacks, a large whi-

**_Gundham Tanaka!!_ **

A hand landed on Gundham's shoulder. A boisterous man who was his boss had snapped Gundham back into reality. “Buddy, go take a break. Good job on the rush.” Gundham silently took the employee back entrance and stepped outside.

It was a brisk cold, one that he didn't mind. Felt good to not be cramped up behind a machine, the sounds of Bean grinding and milk steaming still ringing in his ears. He pulled his coat tight, and considered laying in the freshly fallen snow to help his aching back and feet. Pulling out his phone he saw a message from Sonia.

_Hope your day is going well. I will personally exile anyone who gives you trouble!_

Gundham replied: _Not if I send them to the 9 Hells myself._

Hearts and animal emojis soon followed. Gundham then took a deep breath, and returned to work.

* * *

 

Sonia placed the phone back into her pocket. In a distinct departure from her usual frilly attire, Sonia was instead in a lab coat, with her hair tied in a tight bun. Within an undisclosed lab deep within the revitalized Hope’s Peak Acadamy, cleanliness was a must. The old lab where horrible experiments on students took place had been converted into a wide scale NEO World Program facility, lined with pods. While Sonia and the other remnants had recovered, the world was still reeling from the tragedy. In every pod, was someone who was brainwashed by Despair. A group of scientists, in conjunction with former Ultimates, worked tirelessly to deprogram Junko’s brainwashing.

Sonia would question why she was there, only to be reminded why. Being a ruler of her part of the world meant her ability to translate and understand 30 different languages and trained in Diagnostic Medicine meant her skillset was invaluable to the recovery of the world. Day after day, she would translate for the global team brought together in this effort. She would also spend her day checking on the vital signs of the countless patients within the NEO World Program. After a particularly long meeting with bickering engineers and concerned scientists, she did her rounds of the recovery room. She did this carefully but automatically. She had seen dozens of patients. However, she came across a pod containing a boy with jet black hair and pale skin. Just two of those things were enough to send her mind back in time.

Rooms always feel emptier when all you hear is the beep of a heart rate monitor. In a chilly room deep within Jabberwock Island, nothing but the faint beeping of vital signs could be heard. While 5 pods were offline, 11 contained the victims of the killing school trip. The room was as cold as a morgue, and unless a miracle happened, would serve as one. Each pod was self contained, with the top made with extremely thick glass so a patient could be monitored. The case on top of Gundham Tanaka's pod, however, was being used to hold up one very exhausted princess.

Streaks of tears ran down the side of the glass as Sonia Nevermind had quietly cried despite her best efforts. It had only been a few days since the Killing School Trip, but each hour crawled along. The survivors were all busy trying to acclimate themselves to the world, or beginning the potentially impossible task of getting their friends to wake up. They were stretched thin and simply exhausted. Sonia did her best to support the others, but she still could only do so much.

This white noise was pierced by the sounds of footsteps from the open doorway, grabbing Sonia’s attention. She wiped her eyes to see Kazuichi Soda placing a blanket on her back. “I can't imagine glass makes for a good bed, Miss Sonia.” She wrapped the blanket around her body.

“It is no mattress, that you can be assured.” She then couldn’t help but noticed Soda’s lack of shoes. “But aren't your feet cold?” Sonia sat herself upright on the floor next to the pod while Soda began to fiddle with some equipment.

“Bad habit of mine, princess. I'm more comfortable feeling concrete and metal floors then I am with socks!” He chuckled to himself. “Can't explain it. Just feels better to me” He jotted some notes in a small moleskin notebook, and then sat next to Sonia. “So… any changes with Sleeping Handsome?” He let out an awkward laugh in an attempt to lighten the dire subject.

“No changes to report.” Sonia gave a deep sigh followed by a sniffle. She handed a tear stained printout of Gundham’s vitals over the past 12 hours to Souda, along with the other 11 reports. “I keep checking on them. Nothing seems to be changing. Their hearts are beating so slowly… I worry that those things Junko told us are true.” She placed her hand on the glass. “I wish so desperately I could just hold him and wake him up.” Sonia's eyes were locked onto Gundham's unchanging face, as more tears welled. Soda awkwardly shuffled the printouts behind him.

“I… see.” Soda shuffled himself, and handed Sonia a tissue pack. “Here. I would give you a hanky but its covered in oil.” He smiled awkwardly, but Sonia cracked a small smile herself, as she blew her nose and dabbed her eyes.

“I appreciate your concern, Kazuichi. Thank you.” Even when she was an absolute mess, she was still able to be noble. Souda turned beet red for a moment. He cleared his throat, and turned to face his body toward Sonia.

“Miss Sonia… y-you're welcome.” He was visibly flustered, but in a way not related to Sonia's compliment. She had seen Souda enough to know something was on his mind, but before she could remark on anything, he spoke up. “I know things are pretty bad, but… you gotta hold onto hope, right?”

“Even when things are hopeless. You are not incorrect, Kazuichi.” Sonia said this like she had memorized this statement.

“R-right. And… I think we all know about that. I certainly do.” Soda couldn’t stop shuffling.

Sonia turned to meet Soda's gaze. “What are you hopeless about?”

After a sharp inhale, he said “W-well… I have a. Well. Hopeless question.”

Sonia asked confusingly, “What do you mean?”

“Miss Sonia… I have a hopeless question I want to ask you. And it's hopeless because I know the answer. I don't want to ask because I know the answer, and I won’t like it. But if I don't, I don't get closure. I don't ever let it go in a way that I should. It's something I need to ask because I know if I don't, I'll ask it in my head a thousand times, mulling it over. So I need to ask it. And I know it’s selfish to leave it to you for my own well being bu-” Sonia raised a hand and halted his stammering.

“Soda… I am listening. I am your friend, and if I can help you, I am going to help. So ask your question.”

Soda gave a sigh of relief. He then gathered his courage, and finally was honest.

 

“Sonia Nevermind… is there any chance in this world that I could win your heart?”

 

The silence was deafening. The rhythmic beeping broke that silence with the subtlety of shattering glass. Kazuichi body tensed, his face feeling warm but body cold and on pins. He held his breath. Sonia exhaled.

“So, that was the question?”

“Y-yeah.”

She looked down at Gundham's face. She smiled, and faced Soda, who himself was on the verge of tears. She took his hand.

“Soda, my heart is bound to Gundham's. I love him. So please understand, I am willing to be your friend. But I cannot imagine loving anyone else the way I love Gundham.”

Soda let the tears fall, but he was also grinning from ear to ear. “Miss Sonia… that makes me happy. I am still learning but… at some point I decided, I would rather see you happy with him, then miserable with me. So… I want to do everything I can to bring him back. To make you smile again.”

Sonia handed the tissues back to Soda. “I think you might need this, Kazuichi.” She folded the tissues back into his trembling hands, and kissed his cheek. The trembling stopped, and began to embrace Sonia. He froze.

“S-Sonia… may I hug you?”

“Of course, Soda.” She allowed the boy to cling to her. She run her hands down his back, soothing him.

After the moment passed, he backed off and sniffled. He cleared his throat, and chucked out, “Good thing these pods are sealed. I would worry about all the tears getting everywhere.” Sonia chuckled in kind.

“Well then, Soda. I'll let you get to it. I am going to use the real mattresses we have here. And… I am glad you found the courage to ask me.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Good night, Kazuichi.” Sonia stood up and left the room, and ask she was leaving, she ran into Fuyohiko. “Good evening, Kuzuryu.”

“Evening, Sonia. Did the dumbass finally ask his question?”

  
“That he did. Are you going to help our ‘dumbass’ friend?” Sonia asked cheerfully.

“Yeah. And if he says anything stupid about friendzones, I’ll set him straight.” The young man adjusted his watch. “It’s late. I’ll make sure he doesn’t fry himself and talk to you in the morning.” He walked past Sonia after wishing her a good night. As she walked down the hallway in her memory, her mind returned to the real world.

She snapped back to reality, and returned to her task. In spite of the heaviness of that memory, she knew how that story ended. Gundham was awake, alive, and in her life. She couldn’t help but bring that positive energy forward, and went on her day, knowing Gundham would be there to meet her at the end of it.

* * *

 

The afternoon was not nearly as hectic as the morning crowd. The coffee shop mostly served breakfast, but most of the regulars came in just to sit and read. Gundham was sweeping up, when a middle aged woman came to the counter. He saw no one else was at the till, so he took it upon himself to take their order. He simply cleared his throat and asked “Yes. How can I help you?” He silently congratulated himself on saying something his boss would call normal.

“Yes, this may sound strange, but, can I please get a Caramel Soy Dark Roast Latte with a splash of Rose?”

A tingle crawled through Gundham’s mind, knowing not only could he make the drink, but he could make it perfectly. “Ma’am, I daresay you have come at the right time. That will be no problem at all.” While the woman was put off initially by Gundham’s extremely formal tone, she was glad someone could make such a drink. As he took the money, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. This woman did not know what she was about to taste, except it could only be described as magic.

When the cascade of orders beforehand were merely automatic, Gundham entered his element. Chanting arcane spells under his breath as he effortless prepared the drink was filling him with life. Every step was taken with careful attention. Poured into the glass, with rippled foam and rising steam, it was done. He placed the glass before the woman, and she took the first sip.  
  
“Ah… thank you. This is perfect.” She said. It took all of Gundham’s power not to simply say that he knew it was. He excused himself, and was going to return to behind the counter. It was about time for him to go home, regardless. But as he was walking away, his keen sense of hearing betrayed him.

 

“What was I saying… oh yeah. People like him? They never change. Monsters will always be monsters.”

 

Incredible how a single statement could ruin one’s day. Gundham couldn’t help but hear the woman go on about how people never change. How people are always one way and don’t grow. He had five minutes left in his shift, could not leave the counter, and heard this woman go on about how horrible someone was. How if someone changes, it’s because they are lying to themselves. Utterly toxic and vile things spewed so casually. All Gundham could do was listen, and wished he couldn’t understand languages for a moment. When it was finally 3pm, he quickly signed out and left before he had to hear another word.

He walked home, hearing those words echo in his mind. How angry he was that he put his heart and soul into something, being given to someone so crass. It was a long walk home, the only thing he tried to concentrate on was pushing his bike along. Not that it helped much. He finally got home, and immediately threw himself onto the couch. He was just spent, and was not in the mood for anything. Checking his watch, he knew Sonia would be home in a few hours. He thought about how he needed to make dinner, clean the kitchen, and generally straighten up. His energy was so drained. The rush of work, the poisonous words of strangers. It had all gotten to him just a little too much. He decided that he deserved at least 5 minutes of rest. He set a timer, and shut his eyes…

* * *

 

“Hey, Sleeping Handsome.”

Gundham was startled awake by Sonia, something he did not mind in the least. He let out a yawn. “Greetings my… wait a moment. What hour is it?”

“It’s 6:15, Gundham. Just got home.” Sonia placed her bag down and sat on the couch next to him. Except Gundham had just shot up.

“Curses to that vile morning star! How dare it set on me after lulling me to sleep!? I have a meal to prepare, I have so many things that have fallen behind, and I-”

  
Sonia placed a hand on his shoulder. “Sweetheart, you were tired. Sit down, I’ll take care of dinner, ok?” She motioned for him to sit. Gundham was still frazzled, kicking himself mentally for slipping up like this. But being with Sonia… it make things just a little calmer. She placed the order on her phone, and the evening passed into late night.

It was dark as pitch outside, and Gundham was sore all the way down. His eyes were more sunken then usual, and he worked through his dinner of thai chili tofu and vegetable rice. Sonia was diligently typing something on her laptop while she sipped her soup. Gundham was tired emotionally and physically. He glanced down at her hands, tapping with precision. They were slender, unscarred and soft. Gundam couldn't help but worry about his own. He worried about his body, mind, and soul. His mind swirled with dark thoughts. Of those days bringing ruin to the world. He was transfixed on the scars on his thumbs, on the scars running the length of his arms. It was a spiral, where the clouds were rolling into his mind, and all he could think about was how he didn’t deserve Sonia. How he didn’t deserve to-

“Gundham, are you finished eating?” Sonia's voice shattered Gundham's trance. He nodded and handed the bowl to her. He started to stand up, but she refused to let him help her do the dishes, and reiterated why by saying “You sit. You wash dishes all day, I can take care of it this time.” Sonia put on gloves and muttered something about commencing soap related operations.

“Thank you…” was all he could manage. After a few minutes, he did stand. His steps a little uneven, and simply held Sonia from behind. He rested his head on her shoulder, and felt reborn. Her body was warm and soft, and the pain was beginning to melt. He was enveloped by the smell of Sonia's shampoo and perfume. The mix was one that gave him so much comfort. He wrapped his arms around her torso, Sonia giggling in reaction to his cold hands. His hands warmed up considerably, while Sonia leaned back into him.

“Sonia… I apologize for not doing the evening tasks, but I am thankful for you stepping in.”

  
“It’s not a problem, my dear.” She removed a glove and began to rub the back of Gundham’s neck while skillfully rinsing off plates. “Are you feeling better?”  
He considered the question and decided to answer truthfully. “Physically, my vessel’s pain is draining. But my mind is cloudy and shrouded in darkness.” She nodded, asking him to continue. “My mind is mired with unhelpful questions. I did not know a mere mortal’s quibbling could splinter into my mind like a foul layline into the earth’s crust. And so, I have a question I need to ask.” Sonia froze slightly. “It is a hopeless question, because I already know the answer. But my soul will not rest until I hear the answer.” Sonia wordlessly asked him to continue.

 

“Sonia… am I… a monster?”

 

Sonia stopped the sink. She removed the other glove, and turned to face Gundham. She met his sad eyes. She gripped his hands tight. Her fingers couldn’t help but feel the scars that she had learned the trace of. She held this hand countless times, and knew every curve and carved bit of skin. But she gripped tight, remembering when she couldn’t hold him. “What makes you believe this?”

  
“I have brought so much pain with my hands, my love. I hope that if I use them to craft and brew and make things for people who need it, that feeling of being a monster would go away. And it sometimes does. But the beast inside of me still growls. It still feels like my soul will be ripped asunder at any moment. I feel worthless, and I can’t help but think about what you do. You make real change, you help those who need it most. And I just make concoctions for a faceless crowd. Things I never thought humans would care about in this broken and cracked world. I feel like I am not only doing nothing to heal the pain I brought forth, but I may bring even more pain if I lose control. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do, Sonia.” He was pleading. Sonia had rarely seen him like this, but knew what she needed to do. She pulled him close, and gripped him tighter than she ever thought possible.

 

“So what if you were a monster, Gundham?”

 

The fierce words of royalty shook the prince. “What I see when I look into your eyes is a man who once brought pain, and it eats at him. I see a man who looks me in the eyes and wants to make the world a better place. So what, that what you do is make people food and drink? People are still hungry and thirsty in times like these. And the fact is, you have done so much good, Gundham Tanaka. I see a man who was willing… willing to die to keep people safe. I remember how much my heart hurt to see you go. How much time I spent, begging God or Buddha or anyone who would listen to bring you back. How I couldn’t stop crying, seeing you frozen in place.”

“And I remember how much my heart sang when I saw you again.” She nuzzled on his chest. “I longed to hear your heartbeat, and now I can any time. I know this is the heart of a kind, beautiful person. I hope I will always be able to hear your heartbeat. I hope never again, to be separate from you. And if the world chooses to call you a monster... “ She met his eyes. “Then call me a monster too. Become the prince of monsters. I will be your princess. And we will make the world better.”

  
Gundham began to remember, now, why Sonia was by his side. Why Sonia could take that pain away. They shared a quiet, unbreakable kiss. Followed by countless others.

“Sonia… I don’t know what I did to deserve such an excellent princess to rule by my side, but I am thankful to the forces of the universe that conspired it so.”

“And I am happy to have been blown by the winds of fate to be in your presence, my prince.” Little did the world know that in that tiny apartment, the Prince and Princess would use their love to change the world.

But for now, they needed to sleep. Gundham gave a small yawn, and excused himself. “I need to feed my familiars. Shall we retire to our quarters, mistress?”

Sonia couldn’t help herself. “Why of course, my prince. Let me bring the unruly dishes into order, and I will join you.” They shared a villainous chuckle as they both finished the evening’s chores.

In bed, Sonia rested on Gundham’s chest. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and whispered, “Empress of the Tanaka Empire, shall I concoct the potion of life in the presence of the morning star?” She smiled, and kissed his cheek.

“You know I accept that offer every time, King of the Nevermind Kingdom.” She nestled into his chest once more. He slowly stroked her hair and began to drift off.

“I love you, Sonia…”

“I love you too, Gundham…”

 

The peace in their hearts allowed them to drift to sleep.


End file.
